Medicine ball training is one of the oldest forms of strength training. One of the earliest forms of the medicine ball is found in Persia nearly 3000 years ago and Ancient Greece. These early forms were made from animal skins stuffed with sand. These early medicine balls were used for strength and conditioning training, and injury prevention and rehabilitation. Medicine balls are stilled for these purposes today, but the structure of the medicine ball has evolved.
Medicine balls are constructed of nylon cloth which is covered with leather or vinyl. They are filled with an impact absorbing material which gives them their weight. Some medicine balls are made of rubbery material and consist of having an inner rubber bladder covered with an outer rubber shell. These types of medicine balls are used in exercises where bouncing is required.
Also, medicine balls can have variations on the outside structure of the ball. Typically, a medicine ball is a spherical form which is the ball and nothing more. However, various manufactures have been incorporating the use of handles on or into the ball. Some balls have one handle while others have two with one on each side. Handles allow the user to grasp and swing the ball which alleviates strain on the wrists. Some balls incorporate a rope which passed through the center of the ball and is knotted on the end. This allows the user to swing the ball with little strain. Other balls incorporate a bar that also passes through the center of the ball, so the ball is placed in the center of the bar.
Medicine balls provide various ways to facilitate functional strength training. Instead of focusing on only one muscle group, exercises utilizing the medicine ball make the trainee use multiple muscle groups at once. One main exercise use of medicine balls is to improve core strength. The core of the human body relates to the abdominals, lower back, hips and spine. The medicine ball can also be used to improve stability, upper and lower body strength.
Medicine balls can also be used for rehabilitation after an injury. Rehabilitative exercises with a medicine ball will improve joint integrity and strengthen the muscles with light resistance.